St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-06
HIS ERNEST MONEY sWIPED.
How Pete Dice Bill Worked John
Dillon the Comedian

John Dillon passed through the city
Wednesday, and on his way ate
dinner at the Merchants. Every
body 81 years old knows who John Dill
Ion is, and many of them have sat under
his witticisms and laughed until their
buttons showed signs of weakening,
when John Dillon was walking arm and
arm with the leaders III tho world OF
comedy.
Fifteen years ago he played in st.
Paul, and at that time his coming was
heralded as one of the greatest events
that could have happened in this city.
I'm one of the darndest fools that ever
ate pie with fork" said John to u GLOBE
reporter, as he sat i'll the rotunda of the Mer-
chants with his long thin feet hung at the
the end of pair of ghostly legs piled up OH
a lobby chair.
You amt playing lone hand by large
majority" replied the reporter.
We'll, hardly; but that's no excuse forEme.
If had possessed brain An inch and q half
long when first struck this town I'd be
burned rich man to-day"
"PoSSibleg'
"You bet. had little loose change in
my pocket in those days, and do you know,
my boy, could have bought property in
West St. Paul, near the end of the Wabasha
street bridge, for $50 or $50 an acre. l
looked al 1t, but had no use for 1t, SO blew
my stuff in over the bar, and here l am,
happy, but rather disjointed financially, com
paratively speaking. / didn't believe st. Paul
would be much Of a town, you see, and when
got out here the first time thought L was
Oh the extreme edge OF civilization. If I'd
been ready to jump off I'd have jumped right
here. L tell you what it Is, I've seen q great
many towns in these United States in my day,
but never run across one that seemed TO git
right up and whoop as this one did. She's u
clipper. amt got much use for some of
thaSa rpnl around hprp tbpuun "
why, what's the troubleT'
80, they're too funny; they're too brash."
Had any experience with them!I
''Yes"
Tough"
o, went up here to a saloon this morning
to get n cocktail, and just as l stepped up to
the bar to order it a Spruce-looking chap said,
drink with me- l didn't know him, so
kinder refused, but he insisted on my drink
ing with him, SO downeda cocktail at his
expense. After that we got to talking, and
the first thing l knew the fellow wanted to
sell me lot. He pulled a map out of his
pocket and showed me a lot out here on st.
Anthony hill, somewhere, that he said he
would sell for s., 900, $50 earnest money aud
the rest in monthly payments. thought I'd
go Il little on the lot just for fun, so | gave
him $50, and we were starting out to get the
necessary papers when the real estate man
said, let's have
ANOTHER COCKTAIL
Its on me this time said l. NO, you
u,
said |. I'll tell you what Wen do said he,
well roll the dice to see who pays for it,
RI go you, said |, and we rolled. beat him.
While the bartender was mixing the drink
the fellow kept carelesSly enptyirg
the dice out of the box. l noticed he ham
died the dice like n farmer-clumsily like.
Finally he set the box down, and picked it
up. Etipped the dice out Il couple of times
and five aces turned up. That's pretty
hard hand to beat in two throws l said.
That's So he remarked, but l believe |
could do it in three throws It's no sure
thing said. No he replied, but I've got
confidence enough in my luck to believe that
can beat it,. I'll bet you S. even money
that you can't beat it. said. III take you,'
said he. The money went up He picked
times and got four aces. He ratified the box
the third time and turned it upside down
on the bar. Now, said he, it's big odds
against me, but I'll bet you $50 against
that earnest money of yours that I've got an
other on. had five chances to win to his
one and promptly took him. He lifted the
box and he had turned an ace. He'd beat
my hand and had $50 of my money. drank
the cocktail and walked to the doOI with the
fellow and bidding him good morning started
for the hotel. A little way down | met a
young fellow and pointing to the real estate
man who still stood in the door, asked him
where that mans real estate Office was. He
looked at me in cueious kind of way and
said, real estate manY Yes said L. Did he
sell you anything? said he. Yes just
bought a lot from him. said L. 'Ho, no an
other sucker said he, What n the ID do
you meanE said l. Why he amt no real es-
tate MANI said he, 'Teats Pete dice Bill, the
slickest dice roller in this town an he's
workin' the popular racket that's all.
amt saying a word but want real estate
agents in the future to steer some distance
from me when they find themselves sailing
in my direction